Sign for cars.



No. 68l,468. Patented Aug. 27, I90]. 0. H. WILSON.

SIGN FOB CARS.

(Application med Mar. 26, 1901.)

(No Model.)

ji gnd' 7 7127096 see UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. WILSON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIGN FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,468, dated August 27, 1901.

Application filed March 26, 1901. Serial No. 52,925. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. WILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs for Cars, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in rotatable illuminated signs for cars.

One object of the invention is to improve the general construction of rotatable illuminated signs for cars.

Another object is to improve the construction of the operating mechanism for rotatable signs.

Another object of the invention is to provide an indicator for the interior of the car, whereby passengers are notified as to the outer sign, which indicates the route of the car or of the termination of such route.

The invention consists in the construction of the rotatable sign.

The invention also consists in the construction of the sign, its operating mechanism, the means forlocking the mechanism, and the indicator.

The invention also consists in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as shall hereinafter be more clearly described, and pointed out in the claim. I

Figure 1 represents an elevation, partly in section, of the improved rotatable illuminatedsign. Fig. 2 represents an end view, partially broken away, of the sign, showing the fixed reflector and the construction of the illuminated support for the signs. Fig. 3 represents a plan View of the interior indicator and of its casing.

Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

Car-signs of this nature are mounted on the ends and sides of the car-roof, the mechanism for rotating the sign to present the names thereon to view extending through perforations in the roof into the car or into the end vestibules, as the case may be. Owing to the jolting of the car the signs should be locked in position after adjustment, and this can best be accomplished by a locking device located within reach of the operating-handle. It is also desirable to acquaint the passengers within the car of the destination of the car or of the route over which the car will travel.

The rotatable sign is mounted between a pair of brackets formed of the uprights 5 5, suitably braced by the stays 6 6, the uprights 5 5 being tubular for the accommodation of the electric conductor and being connected by the hollow elbows 7 7 with the sleeves 8 8. Through these sleeves extend the lamp-sup= porting tubes 9 9, carrying the lamps 10 10 and containing the electric conductors by means of which electric current is carried to and from the filaments of the lamps. On the sleeves 8 8 are secured the collars 11 11, and between these are the hollow end fittings 12 and 13, journaled on the respective sleeves 8 8. These end fittings 12 and 13 are of conelike shape merging into rectangular formations or frames, as 14:. To the corners of the frames, as 14, are secured, by brazing or riveting, longitudinal plates 15 15, of angular cross-section, which connect the respective end fittings 12 and 13, and to these plates 14 are secured in like manner the longitudinal plates 16 16 of step-like formation in crosssection and extending between the ends 12 and 13, the lips 17 17 of these plates 16 16 forming holding devices for the transparent plates 18 18, on which the words of the sign are painted or otherwise applied. Across the angles of the plates 16 16 are secured the longitudinal cap-plates 19, and the end 12 is furnished with the gear 20, preferably formed in part therewith. Within the box thus formed with transparent sides is the curved reflector 21, provided at its ends with the clamping-arms 22 22, the forwardly-extending portions of which are clamped on the sleeves 8 8 by means of bolts, as 23, and nuts, as 24.

On the car-roof or other support A above a suitable perforation is secured the perforated bearing 25, having a conical upper end. In this bearing 25 is journaled the vertical shaft 26, having at its upper end the gear 27, which meshes with the gear 20 of the end piece 12, and on this shaft is fixed the cap 28, which fits onto the bearing 25, serving both to support the shaft 26 and to exclude moisture from the bearin To the inneror lower IOO side of the roof A is secured the bracket 29, having the arm 30, furnished with a bearing for the shaft 26, and the arm 31, furnished with the casing 32, in which the springpressed pawl 33 is movable. 0n the arm is supported the indicator-casing 34, open only at the front, and to that portion of the shaft 26extendin g through this casing is fixed the rectangular indicator-frame 35, the upper and lower edges of the sides of which are bent over to form lips, as shown in Fig. 1, to retain signs which are slipped therein when the particular face is brought into the opening of the indicator-casing. On the shaft 26 opposite the pawl 33 is fixed the disk 36, having a groove in its periphery and furnished with sockets, as 37, which correspond in their relative location to the sides of the indicator 35. With the sign in position, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, the small sign in View at the opening of the casing 34: corresponds to the sign presented to View on the corresponding face of the outer sign, and by reference to this indicator-sign passengers within the car are notified of the destination of the car. The moving parts are also looked against accidental movement. By the withdrawal of the pawl 33 from the socket of the disk 36, with which it is engaged, the shaft 26 ,may be rotated by means of its hand-wheel, thus causing the rotation of the outer sign and simultaneously and correspondingly rotating the indicator to bring another sign into view at the opening of the casing 31. As this occurs the pawl 33 will engage the socket 37 of the disk 36, brought opposite thereto, to lock the mechanism in position. As the indicator supports the signs in a vertical position, they may be read without difficulty by the passengers, which is a very important and desirable feature of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- The combination with brackets having the sleeves 8 8, the end pieces 12 and 13 journaled thereon and having the rectangular portions as 14, the angle strips or plates 15 secured to such rectangular portions, the plates 16 secured to such angles, the glass held thereby, said end 12 having the gear 20, of the shaft journaled in a vertical bearing and having the gear 27 meshing with the gear 20, the indicator-frame 35 secured to the shaft and adapted to sustain signs in the vertical position, the disk 36 secured to said shaft, the bracket 29 in which said shaft is journaled, the locking device carried by said bracket and adapted to engage said disk, and the vertical casing 34 mounted on the arm 31 of the bracket and embracing the frame 35 as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. WILSON.

Witnesses:

II. J. MILLER, A. G. RICE. 

